April FM Monthly News

Friend on Facebook Forward to a Friend From the field:  Dear beloved man of God, We are so much glad to inform you that I have receive the picture from a camera man since December,on how I issued Bibles the  FM donated to our chiefs at the chief's office and his board. We love the truth so much. Yes God cannot condone any sin in His kingdom and there is no inheritance at all for the sinners in His presence. I have attached the picture and you can see what is taking place in the Chief's office. (above) God bless you all and continue praying for the work of Kenya. Greet all in Jesus name amen. With Much Love, Pastor Charles  Special projects NOTE: These projects are not funded by the FM general fund. They are only funded if earmarked funds are received. > Church fund for Mohlakeng, South Africa > Official Government church registration in Kenya. Regular support options > Foreign Mission General Fund (any amount welcomed!) > 12 Month Pledge Program ($10+/month) > Indigenous Pastor support ($30/month) >> Orphan and children support in ALC Home in India ($30/month) > Bible and other book purchases ($30 min.) > Bicycles for pastors ($80 each) > Memorial Funds > Endowment Funds > Mission Hospital in India *Pictures and other feedback supplied, if desired. April 30th is the end of the Fiscal year for the Foreign Mission!  Any donations you are lead to make prior to that would be so wonderful!    Also, more and more people are taking advantage of automatic withdrawals by the FM.   If we all give up the price a cup of coffee per day, the funding for the Work in His Kingdom would greatly increase! Please know your help is greatly appreciated and  tax deductable receipts are sent out every January. The Lord's Arm in not shortened. When we go into the mission field, we are aware that unless God adds a blessing to His Word, our trip will have been useless.   Please pray whenever you hear that missionaries from your Foreign Mission are in the field, that God would make the Word come alive, and that He would open the ears and hearts of the people so they can be filled, encouraged, humbled, uplifted, caused to repent, or whatever else the Lord sees fit for each individual. Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?  Isaiah 53:1   Below is a sample letter of the many that are received after each mission trip.  We thank the Lord for His Holy Word, and Salvation through Jesus Christ!    This is the Bread of Life, and the Living Water!  Oh, that many more people would hear, "Come and Dine", and never hunger or thirst again! From Lahore Pakistan  Dear Brother  Robert M. ..... Greetings We are fine and hope in God that you will be fine by the Grace of God. We are missing you very much and pray for you that God bless you more to more for His work. I remember you and your good teaching. Really Brother, I have got much blessing through your teaching. and now I have desire to go in villages to proclaim the messages, which you tought us. I have learned much more about the Doctrine of Grace. Gospel teaching and about Good Samaritan and the other message about the 10 virgins. Brother I love your great teaching. I want to learn more to more about the Word of God. Now we will go in Kilns, where people makes the bricks, although this place is so far away from Lahore, but we will hire a Motorbike for this trip and preach the Gospel among them, because we have to win the souls for Jesus Christ. Please pray for us and our ministry. God bless you  Your Brother, Pastor John M.  (Names omitted for safety)  We surely do desire that more and more people become involved in one way or another in the work in His Vineyard! > It is time to sign up for the fall and next winters round of mission trips!   You will need some time to go through mission training, save some money, and become engaged with the mission in other ways before you leave on your trip. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.... Mark 16:15      ...       Please email foreignmission@comcast.net to express interest in taking a mission trip, or to help your foreign mission in whatever other ways you see fit. Monthly News > Dennis Hilman and Leona Matson, along with local pastors, completed service in Ghana and Togo this month. > They are currently spreading the gospel in Liberia. > The ALC Guatemala is very thankful that several new young people have been attending recently. > Thanks to a private donation, a church in South Africa was partially funded this month.  See note at left also! > Two more wells were completed this month in India through specific donations.   (picture top of next column) Upcoming Events (should the Lord allow!) > The team of 9 will be leaving for the Philippines on April 30th.   Please keep them in prayer. > Five of the people on the Philippines trip will also be going on to Vietnam after the Philippines. > A trip to Russia is scheduled for mid May. > The design work is advancing currently on tracts that will be translated into various languages for distribution on mission trips. > Pastor K from India will in the U.P. of Michigan in Mid May, and will be in Highpoint NC on May 27 in the AM, and at Eastside in SC that evening.   Onward Christian Soldier!!  There are so many places to preach, but so little time and so few resources.  However we know that all the mission work the Lord wants done, will get done!  We just pray that He allows us to be part of it.  Along this amazing pathway He leads us on, He shows us so many wonderful hearts and smiles.  A few of these are pictured below! To follow our blogs for the latest updates from the field, go to www.themissionsite.com     Email foreignmission@comcast.net with any questions you may have! May God Bless your month!   Meet Emma!  She is a Kenyan with the most beautiful smile! She is from the Masai Tribe.  She worships with her mother under a big tree whenever services can be arranged.   Meet Annita.   She is living at the ALC Home in India and is supported by a U.S. Sponsor.  Thanks to this and the wonderful care of Pastor K. and Ruth, she can live a life of peace, get to learn of Jesus, and get a better education. Meet this 11 year old girl with CP that has to be carried everywhere by her mother in Guatemala.  They had dental work done during our Dental clinics in November 2011. www.themissionsite.com| find us on Facebook | forward to a friend  Mailing address for DONATIONS: The Foreign Mission 1601 NW 4th Avenue Battle Ground, Washington 98604 Add us to your address book Mailing address for CORRESPONDANCE: The Foreign Mission of the ALC 63 Poor Farm Road New Ipswich, NH 03071 FM Administrator: foreignmission@comcast.net Copyright © 2012 The Foreign Mission, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you have professed interest in the work of the Foreign Mission.  unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences | view email in browser

Please come back!

Dennis Hilman and I just spent a very blessed 6 days in Togo! On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday there were seminars for pastors and church leaders. Here are a few responses we received from the participants:

I thank God for your teachings, I appreciate them, they aregood. We need them again!

This seminar lifted my spiritual life. I wish you continue it for one week!

I thank the Lord for your life, who gives you strength to proclaim His word. The teaching was powerful and deep. May the Lord bless you.

The themes are very important and constitute a precious instrument for us as men of God to fuufill the work of God and to be all the time in his will and live according to the Scriptures. Please, the time of the seminars is too short because we have need of more time for explanation and we have more questions to ask. Please can you come twice a year?

Please pray that God would continue to be with each person who attended the seminars in Togo. God willing, we will have time to post a more detailed update soon. We are off to Liberia now. Please also pray for our time there!

God's Peace!

Leona

LIBERIAN REFUGEES: "HELP!"

Driven from their homeland up to 22 years ago by a very bloody civil war many Liberians found their way first to the Ivory Coast and then to a safe refuge in Ghana. At the Burubudam Refugee Camp outside of Accra those refugees, who have not already returned to Liberia since the war ended there some years ago, are once again facing difficulties. The UN has announced that their status as refugees will be terminated as of June 30 this year. They will be assisted to return to their homeland but will only be allowed to carry 30 kg (less than 60 pounds) of luggage with them. Considering that some have even lived at the camp for over 20 years they of course have accrued many necessary household items that would be very valuable in starting a new life back in Liberia. In that country their homes and even many family relations have been lost.     On Good Friday Leona and I gathered with our brothers and sisters at the Emmanuel Lutheran Refugee Congregation in Burubudam to listen to their pleas and to pray with them. This church has been affiliated for years with the Apostolic Lutheran Church of Ghana. All of the remaining members of that congregation would need to hire a truck to transport critically needed personal belongings through the Ivory Coast to Liberia before the end of June. As refugees they have no way to raise the $6000 for this transportation - and therefore this is the plea that I promised them I would send out to all of you as soon as possible assuring them that only God can make a way where there is no way. One of the Liberan refugees, Jeanette, who has been paralyzed since she was 3 years old. She is now 42 and escaped in her wheelchair from the civil war there as a young woman. Here with her 2 sons, a nephew and 2 granddaughters. And who could better express the hope of the Liberian people than their children - all of these kids were born as refugees, soon to return to the strange country that is their "homeland".   Leona and I have had a very busy and productive time here in Ghana. Not much time to write articles. Many meetings with church leaders and the full Board of the Apostolic Lutheran Church of Ghana. We have also met with Pastor Frank Famiyeh. On Friday we participated in well attended Good Friday services at the Lakeside ALC church and today we celebrated the resurrection of our Lord and Saviour at the combined Easter communion service of our three churches here at the Gbawe ALC. The crowd was overflowing. On Tuesday we travel to the neighboring country of Togo for five days of meetings and pastors' seminars. Stay close in Him who is ever close, Dennis

(Sorry about this space and the small pictures!  Formatting issues!)

Christ Has Risen!

He has risen indeed! Hallelujah!

Greetings from Accra, Ghana where we have just enjoyed Easter services with combined congregations of the Apostolic Lutheran Church of Ghana. It was a very blessed time of rejoicing in the Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour. 

Our time in Ghana this year has been short, but very special. We have been encouraged by our brothers and sisters here and pray that God has used us to encourage them as well.

Tomorrow we are looking forward to a day with the youth from the church. One of the most encouraging things we've seen here is the active youth members as well as the large Sunday School class! Let's pray that God will continue to help each one grow in the grace and knowledge of him.